Hacktivist group Anonymous has launched a 30-day operation dubbed OpIcarus to shut down all central banks and financial institutions.

Reports have also suggested that the group has partnered with hackers Ghost Squad.

The 30-day hacking spree began with the Bank of Greece, where Anonymous successfully managed to shut down the website. A spokesperson for the bank said: "The attack lasted for a few minutes and was successfully tackled by the bank's security systems. The only thing that was affected by the denial-of-service attack was our website."

Anonymous released a YouTube video stating its campaign: "Our message is clear. We will not let the banks win. We will be attacking the banks with one of the most massive attacks ever seen in the history of Anonymous."

The hacktivist group, who are also known for taking on organisations such as Scientology, the Ku Klux Klan and ISIS, added that the "crimes against humanity" from banking systems means they plan to "strike a new bank every single day."

Related Articles

According to website Hack Read, the group have already allegedly carried out DDoS attacks on the Bank of France, Central Bank of Tunisia, Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Philippine National Bank, Central bank of the United Arab Emirates, as-well-as others.

The group also extended their targets to include "MasterCard and Visa, Bank for International Settlements, all central banks, the IMF and the London Stock Exchange and every major banking system."

At time of writing, ITP.net contacted the Central bank of the United Arab Emirates but is awaiting a response. Furthermore, apart from the Bank of Greece, none of the central banks or financial institutions have confirmed they have suffered from Anonymous' DDoS attacks.